Safe Driving 101: Safety upgrades you should get for your car
**A contributed post as written for The Safe Driver.
Owning a car can provide a long list of benefits. For one, you’ll have the liberty to go wherever you want without relying on the availability of public transportation. You also won’t have to mingle with other commuters for hours — which can provide comfort if you’re traveling long-distance. For many people, buying a car can even be considered an investment.
Driving your own car might provide convenience and accessibility, but for you to enjoy all of these benefits long-term, you have to prioritize your own and your passengers’ safety first. A lot of things can happen when you’re on the road, and more often than not, these are things that you can’t control. Fortunately, adding several safety upgrades to your car can go a long way in ensuring everyone’s safety while inside the car.
Cars are made with the driver’s safety in mind. This is the reason why car manufacturers always encourage drivers to use seatbelts and signal lights while on the road. Even if your car has safety features already built-in, these safety upgrades should still be on top of your to-do list:
- Safety belts: Seat belts are one of the most common safety devices found in all car models. A seat belt might be compact in size, but its mechanisms can save your life. Aside from the seat belt that’s already in your car, you can take advantage of these safety belts by installing lap-shoulder belts. Lap-shoulder belts are commonly found in newer car models, so if you own a car that doesn’t have this feature yet, start looking for professionals who can install them for you.
- Backup cameras: Technology has made everyone’s lives easier — and drivers’ lives are no exemption. Instead of straining your neck trying to have a 360-degree view of what’s happening outside, installing a backup camera in your car is a much better option. This will enable you to see objects and people behind your car, minimizing the occurrences of an accident.
While you’re at it, consider using a backup camera that has a cross-traffic alert as this can warn you of cars that are invisible in your view. You’ll be notified if there’s a car trying to overtake you on your lane, even if this car is hidden behind a ten-wheeler truck.
- Winter or snow tires: If you’re currently living in a country where snow is very common, start scouting for winter and snow tires. The roads can be very slippery and dangerous during and after snow, but this kind of tires can provide additional grip for your car. Plus, using winter or snow tires will also make it easy for you to drive through winter hazards — all thanks to the unique patterns these tires have!
- Adaptive cruise control: Driving on a straight road every day to and from work may not give you the assurance that you’ll be safe all the time. Keep in mind that bumper-to-bumper car accidents happen more often than you think. Aside from keeping an eye on the distance between your own car and the cars around you, using adaptive cruise control can help you become a safer driver. This technology works by automatically slowing down your car when the car in front of you starts to slow down. You don’t need to intervene — your car will do what’s necessary to keep you safe.
- Forward collision mitigation: The adaptive cruise control in your car isn’t only limited to slowing down when the car in front of you slows down; when you use an adaptive cruise control that has collision mitigation, your car will automatically brake and stop once it can sense that the car in front is about to come to a stop. Usually, the system will send an alert to the driver and will only stop if the driver doesn’t notice these alerts.
- Blind spot warning systems: Even if you don’t use a window tint, there will be blind spots in several areas around your car. These blind spots aren’t visible once you’re seated in the driver’s seat, making it hard for you to determine if the path is clear of any obstruction. You can lessen the chances of being involved in blind spot accidents when you use a blind spot warning system. Once your car has this, you’ll be alerted whenever another car is rapidly approaching from behind you. Blind spot warning systems basically serve as an extension of your vision whenever you’re behind the wheel.
Make Worthy Investments
Owning a car can be seen as a two-edged sword: it provides a lot of benefits to you and to your family, but at the same time, it can also put everyone’s safety on the line. There are several ways that a driver like you can avoid experiencing accidents on the road — and adding safety upgrades to your car can be a great start. Some of these upgrades might be expensive and can even break the bank but think of it this way: any purchase made to ensure your safety, and your that of your family’s will always be worth it.
Winter tires will certainly give you better control in snowy conditions. But that’s only half the story. Many drivers in Toronto don’t bother with winter tires since snow here often melts away after a couple of days. A “tough it out and avoid the expense” attitude. What they are failing to realize is that even on dry roads clear of snow and ice, winter tires give you far superior control and stopping ability. How? The reason for this is they are made with a different rubber compound – one that stays softer and more flexible in cold temperatures – so they grip the road better. So, change over to winter tires when daily temperature reach 7°C.